1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to methods for providing selected chemotherapeutic agents which selectively target folate receptors (FR) of cancerous tumor cells and inhibit GARFTase contained in the cells, particularly types of ovarian cancer cells. Specifically, the present invention relates a method for the use of fused cyclic pyrrolo derivatives, particularly fused cyclic pyrimidines having a long chain CH2 group between cyclic groups, which themselves selectively target folate receptors (“FR”), particularly FR-alpha of cancerous tumor cells. They also inhibit glycinamide ribonucleotide formyltransferace enzyme (GARFTase) in tumor cells, where the fused cyclic pyridimines themselves are effective to selectively penetrate inside of the cancerous tumor cells.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Cancer chemotherapy agents as taught, for example in U.S. Pat. No. 5,939,420 (Gangjee), do not specifically selectively target cancer tumor cells but target both normal and tumor cells. This lack of selectivity for tumor cells results in cytotoxicity to the normal cells and is also one of the major causes of chemotherapeutic failure in the treatment of cancer. Further, advanced stage and platinum resistant tumors may be difficult to treat with traditional chemotherapeutic agents such as, but not limited to, carboplatin or paclitaxel (docitaxel). Other documents in this area include J. Med. Chem. 48 (16), 5329-5336, web release date Jul. 9, 2005 “Synthesis of Classical Four-Carbon Bridged 5-Substituted Furo-[2-3-d]-pyrimidine and 6-Substituted Pyrrolo-[2,3-d]-pyrimidine Analogues as Antifolates” by A. Gangjee et al.
As is known in the prior art, a type of folate receptor FR, FR-alpha, is overexpressed on a substantial amount of certain surfaces of a number of cancerous tumors including, but not limited to, ovarian, endometrial, kidney, lung, mesothelioma, breast, and brain tumors.
In most normal tissues, the FR-alpha is not present and the folic acid is not taken up by the normal cells by way of a reduced folate carrier system (RFC), thereby leading to selective uptake by tissues such as FR-alpha expressing ovarian tumors. In light of the specificity of folic acid, conjugates of folic acid have been used in the prior art to selectively deliver toxins, liposomes, imaging and cytotoxic agents to FR-alpha expressing tumors.
However, one of the major limitations of the foregoing, such as cytotoxic-folic acid conjugates, is that its use requires cleavage from the folic acid moiety to release the cytotoxic drug. Moreover, premature release of the cytotoxic agent during the transport before reaching the tumor destroys selectivity and thereby leads to undesired toxicity in normal cells. This is a very serious detriment scientifically and commercially.
Further, if the folic acid moiety of the cytotoxic-folic acid conjugate is difficult to cleave, then the anti-tumor activity is hindered as a result of the inability or reduced ability to release the cytotoxic agent. Accordingly, treatment of the tumor cells with the cytotoxic agent is either hindered or rendered nil as a result of the difficulty in cleaving the cytotoxic agent moiety from the folic acid-based conjugate.
In spite of the foregoing prior art, however, there remains a very real need for methods and compositions that selectively target FR-alpha of tumor cells.
An object of this invention is to provide methods for selectively targeting FR, particularly FR-alpha, of tumor cells with a cancer-treating agent, targeting the GARFTase enzyme.
In a related object, the method does not use conjugated compositions and does not need cleavage to release a cytotoxic drug.
In yet another related object, the method will allow penetration into the cancerous cells, expressing FR, that is, FR-alpha and/or FR-beta, but not into a cell using the reduced folate carrier system (RFC).
Another object of this invention is to provide effective delivery of a cancer treating agent to the cancerous tumor in the process of treating a patient.
Another object of this invention is to efficiently target a cancerous tumor.
Another object of this invention is to provide an essentially non-toxic method of treating a cancerous tumor.